Carrying container



Dec. 5, 1967 J. VESAK 3,35 ,258

CARRYING CONTAINER Filed June 29, 1965 4 Shets-Sheet w #vvavrozz F 1- 5 JOSEPH VASAK WWW" J. VESAK Dec. 5, 1967 CARRYING CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 29, 1965 AGENT Dec. 5, 1967 J. VESAK 3,356,258

CARRYING CONTAINER Filed June 29, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 wvavroe: F1 [4 JOSEPH VESAK WWW AGE/VT United States Patent 3,356,258 CARRYING CONTAINER Joseph Vesak, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, as-

signor to Crown Zellerhach Canada Limited, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a corporation of British Columbia Filed June 29, 1965, Ser. No. 467,970 Claims. (Cl. 220-115) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An end-loading, top-opening carton having opposed pairs of horizontal and vertical walls with foldably connected end closure flaps and a centrally located longitudinal divider foldably connected along one edge to the bottom wall. A handle member integral with the top edge of the longitudinal divider is secured to the interior surface of the top wall within an area of the top wall defined by lines of weakness formed to correspond to the handle member thus enabling the portion of the top wall to which the handle member is attached, to be removed from the top wall. The top wall is also provided with separable lines of weakness to enable the top wall to be separated from the carton. An alignment tab is integrally connected with each end of the longitudinal divider and the corresponding bottom wall flap to maintain the longitudinal divider in a vertical position.

This invention relates to an improvement in carrying containers and more particularly to an end loading, top opening container with an extendable handle which is oprable in both the closed and open condition of the container.

Carrying containers have been used for carrying bottled beverages wherein the containers included an extendable handle member which is normally recessed within the walls of the container during storage and shipping but is extendable to a carrying position. In the packaging of bottled beverages, such containers have preferably in cluded the more particular requirement that the extendable handle is adaptable to facilitate carrying both in the initial closed condition of the container and thereafter when the container has been opened for removal and replacement of the bottles in the container.

Heretofore, containers used for bottled beverages, while attaining these strict requirements, have been of a rather complex manufacture and required the use of excessive amounts of material which added to the cost of packagmg.

For example, containers with centrally positioned slidable handles have been used but these required complex interior handle alignment and retaining structures. Alternatively, comparatively simple handle arrangements formed from portions of the carton walls have been used but these have not been adaptable to end loading, top opening cartons without undue manipulation and inconvenience.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved end loading, top opening carton having tubularly arranged opposed pairs of horizontal and vertical walls with foldably connected end closure flaps and a centrally located longitudinal divider foldably connected along one edge to one of the horizontal walls and with a handle member secured to the interior surface of the .second horizontal wall. The second horizontal wall is characterized by the provision of separable lines of weakness to separate the wall from the handle member and end closure flaps to open the carton for extraction and replacement of the articles therein without detraction from the carrying facility of the handle member.

A further feature of the present invention provides for foldable extensions from the ends of the longitudinal divider-handle assembly which are interrelated with the carton flap end closures to maintain the assembly in sub stantially vertical relation particularly in the opened con dition of the carton when the articles are removed therefrom.

A still further feature of the invention resides in the provision of an extension separably connected to an edge of the handle member. The extension is secured to the second horizontal wall with the handle member intervening to reinforce the one wall when the handle member is extended with the carton remaining in a closed condition.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be evident in the following specification and claims. In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view showing the inside face of a foldable blank from which the container is formed,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view showing the initial folding of the blank of FIGURE 1 to form a collapsed container,

FIGURE 3 is a partial plan view of the completely folded collapsed container,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the container erected to tubular relation for loading articles through an open end thereof,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the completely erected and sealed container,

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the container showing the handle in extended relation and initial stage of opening of the horizontal top wall,

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the container in top-open condition with handle extended,

FIGURE 8 is a plan view showing the inside face of a container blank for a modified form of the container,

FIGURE 9 illustrates the first folding operation of the container blank in FIGURE 8,

FIGURE 10 is a partial view of the successive folding of the blank following FIGURE 9 to form a collapsed container,

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of an end-open container in accordance with the modified form formed from the container blank in FIGURE 8,

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view showing the folding of the end closure of the modified form container,

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view showing the handle extended and the initial stage of top opening of the modified form container,

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of the top-open condition of the modified form container.

The container blank 20 shown in FIGURE 1, described in terms applicable to the container formed therefrom, includes a series of rectangular wall panels 21-25 inclusive foldably connected by lines of scoring 2630. The end edges of the wall panels are determined by flap scores 31 and 32 which serve as the hinge connection of the respective end closure flaps 33-42 which are separated by slots 43.

Also in FIGURE 1, a longitudinal divider panel 44 is foldably connected along line of scoring 30 to wall panel 25. The upper edge of the divider panel is in part defined by handle score 45 which in turn serves as the hinge connection of the handle member 46. Remaining top edge portions of the divider panel are determined by free edge portions 48 and include downwardly recessed offsets 49. End edges 50 of the divider panel closely parallel the respective flap scores 31-32. A hand hole 47 is provided in the handle member 46 and may extend into adjacent top margins of the longitudinal divider 44.

Continuing with FIGURE 1, in wall panel 23 there is I a handle member 5-1 defined by substantially severed lines of weakness 52 which lines of weakness are interrupted at spaced apart points to provide tack connections, not shown, to avoid accidental dislodgement of the handle member before intended usage thereof. The handle member 51 may include a hand hole tab 53 foldably connected to the handle member along score line 54. Tabs 55 are determined in the wall panel 23 by end lines of severance 56 and angular lines of severance 57 which in turn define corner webs 58 with the respective adjacent flap scores 31-32 and lines of scoring 27-28. Tab scores 59 define the inner edges of the tabs 55 and are preferably disposed parallel to the end lines of severance 56 and intersect the angular lines of severance 57. The edge scores 27-23 portions 60 disposed between the respective tab angular lines of severance 57 are partially severed, preferably by cut scoring the interior surface of the blank or in the alternative, perforating the same. Finally, the extremities of the blank are in part defined by the closure flap end edges 61 and wall panel 21 edge 62.

The successive stages of assembly of a collapsed carton from the blank 20 are illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. In FIGURE 2 the divider 44 and connected wall panel 25 are folded about line of scoring 29 into flatwise contacting relation with the interior surfaces of wall panels 23 and 24. In this position the handle member 46 is preferably fixedly secured to the handle member portion 51 of wall panel 23. The handle member 46 and handle member portion 51 are in mutually aligned substantially coextensive relation as are the hand hole tab 53 and hand hole 47. Thereafter wall panels 21-22 are folded about score line 27 and partially severed section 60 thereof until such wall panels attain flatwise contacting relation with the longitudinal divider 44 and wall panel 25 whereby the marginal portions along the edge 62 of panel 21 and attendant flap closures 33 and 38 may be secured to the underlying portions of wall panel 25 and its respective end flaps. There is thus attained a collapsed carton having integral longitudinal divider and extendable handle member which is gained through simple and orderly folding operation of a box blank in the conventional manner.

When the carton is to be erected by the user for loading with a plurality of articles such as bottled beverages, the carton walls are folded to rectangular tubular arrangement as shown in FIGURE 4. There is thus attained a can ton formation wherein wall panels 22 and 24 form a pair of opposed vertical walls or side walls and wall panels 2-1 and 25 form a bottom horizontal wall panel in opposed relation to top horizontal wall panel 23. In this condition, the end closure flaps, for example 3842, inclusive, on at least one end of the carton extend in the plane of their respective connected wall panels whereby articles may be loaded in the carton on both sides of the longitudinal divider 44. Finally, as shown in FIGURE 5, the end closure flaps may be infolded about the respective flap scores 3132 into secured together relation to form carton end walls. The thus erected, filled, and sealed container is adapted to shipment and storage.

The ultimate consumer upon receiving the closed carton may readily raise the handle secured together plies 46 and 51 by the ready detachment of the lines of severance 52 as shown in FIGURE 6 for carrying of the closed carton. To open the carton a tab 55 at the flap scores 31 or 32 may be grasped or depressed within the carton by the accommodation of the longitudinal divider 44 offsets 49 whereby the wall panel 23 portions intervening the partially severed lines 60 may be removed and top opening of the carton attained as shown successively in FIGURES 6 and 7. As shown in FIGURE 7, in the top-open condition of the carton, the opposed vertical side walls 24 and 22 and end walls constituted by the end wall flaps 33-37 and 38-42 remain intact as do the longitudinal divider 44 and extended handle members 51 and 46. In this open top condition, the corner webs 58 substantially strengthen the rectangular formation of the carton walls whereby articles may be withdrawn and reintroduced as desired and substantial weights carried in the carton due to the integral connection of the divider 44 with the bottom wall panel 25 and its counterpart wall panel 21.

The modified form embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIGURES 8 through 14 has many structural features in common with the first described embodiment disclosed in FIGURES 1 through 7 and like parts are indicated by like reference numbers throughout. A further feature disclosed, as shown in FIGURE 8, is the divider aligning members which are constituted by triangular formed, bellows fold flanges 66 and 67 which are separated by bisecting score 68. The bellows fold flanges 66 are foldably connected to the respective end closure flaps 37 and 42 While the flanges 67 are foldably connected to the end edges 50 of the longitudinal center divider 44.

In the end loading condition of the carton, as shown in FIGURE 11, the aligning members remain in planar relation with the divider 44 and thus avoid interference with the loading of articles in the container through the open ends. As the end closure flaps are infolded and secured together, as hereinbefore described, the aligning members 65 are each folded about the bisecting scores 68, as best shown in FIGURE 12, whereby end closure of the carton is attained without additional operation or manipulation of the container parts. Thus in the top-open condition of the carton, as shown in FIGURE 14, the aligning member 65 connections between the ends of the divider 4-4 and the respective flap end closures maintains the divider in vertical relation and thereby affords the additional advantage of avoiding possible misalignment which might interfere with ready replacement of articles in the container through the open top.

A further refinement disclosed in the second embodiment FIGURES 8 through 14 is the handle reinforcement flange 70 which may be used alternatively with or without the handle aligning members 65. The handle reinforcement flange 70, as best shown in FIGURE 8, is hingedly, but separably connected to an edge of handle member 46 by a line of partial severance 71. The line of partial severance 71 may be constituted by a slit, which is interrupted by small tack elements as well known in the art, or by lines of perforation or cut scoring.

The reinforcement flange 70 is further defined by edges 72 in alignment with the line of partial severance 71, free end edges 73 and free edge 74 opposite line of severance 71. A recess 75 may be included to provide for the hand hole tab 53 if the proportions of the handle arrangement so dictate.

To form the collapsed container embodiment including the reinforcement flange 70 as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, the longitudinal divider 44 and wall panel 25 are folded about score line 29 and the handle member 46 secured to the handle portion 51 of wall panel 23 in the same manner as previously described in regard to FIGURES 1 through 7. The flange 70 is then positioned in folded overlying relation to handle member 46 and the end extremities 76 which extend beyond the ends of the handle member 46 are fixedly secured by adhesive or other suitable means to the underlying portions of wall panel 23. It is to benoted that portions of flange 70 overlying handle 46 are free of adhesive or other securement means to said handle which would prevent separation thereof upon the projection of the handle to carrying position. The completion of the collapsed container as shown in FIGURE 10 is then identical to the first described procedure in regard to FIGURE 3.

Going to FIGURE 13 it may be seen that upon lifting the handle members 51 and 46, the reinforcing flange 70 remains in attachment to the inner surface of the wall panel 23 tending to avoid a possible deleterious opening in the cover panel 23 arising from the separation and projection of the handle member ply 51 from the wall panel. Furthermore the reinforcement flange end extremities 76, extending as they do beyond the ends of the handle member plies 46 and 51, reinforce the wall panel 23 adjacent the ends of handle member ply 51 and avoid undue distortion and possible tearing of the wall panel when the fi-lled carton is carried in the closed condition. As further shown in FIGURE 14 at the first extension of the handle member 51 the reinforcing flange 70 is free of attachment from handle 51 and remains secured to underlying portions of the wall panel 23 after the opening thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An end loading, top opening carton for a plurality of articles, the carton formed of foldable sheet material and comprising foldably connected, tubularly arranged opposed pairs of horizontal and vertical walls with foldably connected end closure flaps, a centrally located longitudinal divider foldably connected along one edge to one of the horizontal walls medially thereof, a handle member integrally, foldably connected to an opposite edge of the longitudinal divider and secured in flatwise relation to a portion of the second horizontal wall, the second horizontal wall including separable lines of weakness for separating said second horizontal wall from the handle member secured portion and respective end closure flaps for opening of the said second horizontal wall and removal of the articles from the carton, the handle member extendable to carrying position in the closed condition and in the open condition of the carton.

2. An end loading, top opening carton for a plurality of articles, the carton formed of foldable sheet material and comprising foldably connected, tubularly arranged opposed pairs of horizontal and vertical walls with foldably connected end closure flaps, a centrally located longitudinal divider foldably connected along one edge to one of the horizontal walls medially thereof, a handle member integrally, foldably connected to an opposite edge of the longitudinal divider, an aligned substantially coextensive handle portion defined at least in part by a substantially severed line of weakness in the second horizontal wall, the handle member fixedly secured to the wall handle portion, the second horizontal wall including separable lines of weakness for separating said second horizontal wall from the handle member secured portion and respective end closure flaps for opening of the said second horizontal wall and removal of the articles from the carton, the handle member extendable to carrying position in the closed condition and in the open condition of the carton.

3. A carton as defined in claim 2, in which aligning members foldably connect the ends of the longitudinal divider to respective end closure flaps to maintain the divider in vertical relation in the carton.

4. A carton as defined in claim 2, in which aligning members foldably connect the ends of the longitudinal divider to respective end closure flaps, the aligning members being triangular formed flanges integrally connected to the divider and maintaining the divider in vertical relation in the carton.

5. A carton as defined in claim 2, in which tabs are determined in the second horizontal wall by lines of severance, said tabs being disposed at the flap scores and adapted to be grasped for opening said Wall along the separable lines of weakness therein.

6. A carton as defined in claim 2, in which the separable lines of weakness extend longitudinally of the carton to separate the second wall from end to end and along the end flap scores to separate said Wall from the carton end closures.

7. An end loading, top opening carton for a plurality of articles, the carton formed of foldable sheet material and comprising a foldably connected top wall panel, an opposed pair of side wall panels and a bottom wall comprising overlapping paired bottom wall panels, a longitudinal divider panel foldably connected to the inner edge of the innermost bottom Wall panel, a handle member foldably connected to the upper edge of the divider panel medially of its length, the handle member being in flatwise secured relation to a handle portion of the carton top Wall panel, the end edges of the respective Wall panels being provided with closure flaps in foldably connected relation thereto, the closure flaps being initially in the plane of their respective wall panels for introduction of articles into the carton and thereafter being foldable into a carton end closure, the carton top wall including means for separating the same from the top wall handle portion and end closure for opening of said top wall and removal of the articles from the carton, said means comprising separable lines of Weakness, the top wall handle portion remaining secured to the handle member and to the center divider for carrying the carton and the articles therein with the top wall in open condition.

8. An end loading, top opening carton for a plurality of articles, the carton formed of foldable sheet material and comprising a foldably connected top wall panel, an opposed pair of side wall panels and a bottom wall comprising overlapping paired bottom wall panels, a longitudinal divider panel foldably connected to the inner edge of the innermost bottom wall panel, a handle member foldably connected to the upper edge of the divider panel medially of its length, an aligned substantially coextensive handle portion defined at least in part by a substantially severed line of weakness in the top wall panel, the handle member being in flatwise secured relation to the handle portion of the carton top wall panel, the end edges of the respective wall panels being provided with end closure flaps in foldably connected relation thereto, the closure flaps being initially in the plane of their respective Wall panels for introduction of articles into the carton and thereafter being foldable into a carton end closure, the carton top wall including means for separating the same from the top wall handle portion and end closure for opening of said top wall and removal of the articles from the carton, said means comprising separable lines of weakness, the top wall handle portion remaining secured to the handle member and foldably connected to the center divider for carrying the carton and the articles therein with the top wall in open condition.

9. A carton as defined in claim 8, in which the separable lines of weakness extend longitudinally of the carton to separate the top wall panel from end to end and along the closure flap fold connections to separate said panel from the carton end closures.

10. A carton as defined in claim 8, in which aligning members foldably connect the ends of the longitudinal divider to respective end closure flaps to maintain the divider in vertical relation in the carton.

11. A carton as defined in claim 8, in which aligning members foldably connect the ends of the longitudinal divider to respective end closure flaps, the aligning members being triangular formed flanges integrally connected to the divider and maintaining the divider in vertical relation in the carton.

12. A carton as defined in claim 9, in which tabs are determined in the top Wall panel by lines of severance, said tabs being disposed at the flap scores and adapted to be grasped for opening the top wall panel along the separable lines of weakness therein.

13. An end loading, top opening carton for a plurality of articles, the carton formed of foldable sheet material and comprising a foldably connected top wall panel, an opposed pair of side wall panels and a bottom wall comprising overlapping paired bottom wall panels, a longitudinal divider panel foldably connected to the inner edge of the innermost bottom wall panel, a handle member foldably connected to the upper edge of the divider panel medially of its length, an aligned substantially coextensive handle portion defined at least in part by a substantially severed line of weakness in the top wall panel, the handle member being in fiatwise secured relation to the handle portion of the carton top wall panel, the end edges of the respective wall panels being provided with end closure flaps in foldably connected relation thereto, the closure flaps being initially in the plane of their respective wall panels for introduction of articles into the carton and thereafter being foldable into a carton end closure, the carton top wall including means for separating the same from the carton walls for opening of said said top wall and removal of the articles from the carton, said means comprising separable lines of weakness and tabs for grasping and opening the wall along the separable lines of weakness, the tabs disposed in the top wall at the fold connections of the end closure flaps, the separable lines of weakness being disposed in the top wall fold connection to the side walls and extending between the tabs, the top wall handle portion remaining secured to the handle member and foldably connected to the center divider for carrying the carton and the articles therein with the top wall in open condition.

14. A carton as defined in claim 13, in which aligning members foldably connect the ends of the longitudinal divider to respective end closure flaps to maintain the divider in vertical relation in the carton.

15. A carton as defined in claim 13, in which aligning members foldably connect the ends of the longitudinal divider to respective end closure flaps, the aligning members being triangular formed flanges integrally connected to the divider and maintaining the divider in vertical relation in the carton.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,106,276 1/1938 Heinrnan 229---27 2,252,023 8/1941 Mulnix 22952 2,806,643 9/1957 Weiss 22952 2,963,198 12/1960 Foster et al. 22952 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN END LOADING, TOP OPENING CARTON FOR A PLURALITY OF ARTICLES, THE CARTON FORMED OF FOLDABLE SHEET MATERIAL AND COMPRISING FOLDABLY CONNECTED, TUBULARLY ARRANGED OPPOSED PAIRS OF HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL WALLS WITH FOLDABLY CONNECTED END CLOSURE FLAPS, A CENTRALLY LOCATED LONGITUDINAL DIVIDER FOLDABLY CONNECTED ALONG ONE EDGE TO ONE OF THE HORIZONTAL WALLS MEDIALLY THEREOF, A HANDLE MEMBER INTEGRALLY, FOLDABLY CONNECTED TO AN OPPOSITE EDGE OF THE LONGITUDINAL DIVIDER AND SECURED IN FLATWISE RELATION TO A PORTION OF THE SECOND HORIZONTAL WALL, THE SECOND HORIZON- 